Communications Manager

Job description

Staff - Non Union Job Category M&P - AAPS Job Profile AAPS Salaried - Information Services, Level B Job Title Communications Manager Department UBCO | Administrative Support | Okanagan School of Education | Faculty of Education Compensation Range $7,158.42 - $10,292.25 CAD Monthly The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job. Posting End Date September 13, 2026 Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date. Job End Date October 11, 2027 At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. JOB SUMMARY This position is a key position within the Okanagan School of Education (OSE). This position provides strategic input and leadership, while developing, researching, overseeing and implementing plans and operations that advance the Okanagan School of Education’s strategic communications goals. This position is responsible for developing, designing and executing a full-range of communications to enhance the image and reputation of the OSE at the local, provincial, national and global level. This position provides writing, design, publishing, videography, photography and editing skills to promote the OSE's research and scholarship activities, and undergraduate, graduate and post-baccalaureate programs. This position creates and develops communications best practices for the OSE and ensures that all communications activities and collateral materials comply with UBC brand standards. This position is responsible for the promotion of all events on and off campus, using digital, print and social media mediums. They work closely with OSE faculty, staff and students to understand their events, create promotional plans, and create the content and materials required. This could involve working with external stakeholders and partners. The positions also attends events to provide photography and/or videography support and creates content to share across OSE channels including social media and website. News and story development is a primary responsibility of this position, who works closely with OSE faculty and staff to identify opportunities that may be of public interest. This position creates, edits and promotes the content, which could take the form of media releases, written articles, Q&As, social media posts, videos, etc. ORGANIZATIONAL STATUS This position reports directly to the OSE Director, with administrative supervision from the Manager, Administration and Operations. This position works as part of the Okanagan School of Education team and interacts with faculty, staff, students, alumni and colleagues within the Faculty of Education on the Vancouver campus. In addition, this position works closely with University Relations, faculty communicators and other campus departments such as Enrolment Services, Alumni and Development. WORK PERFORMED Communications Strategy and Planning: Develops comprehensive communications and marketing strategy identifying key opportunities to improve the organization’s existing communications activities. Works with OSE leadership to identify and clarify goals, design objectives and to determine project timelines and budgets. Develops and maintains a departmental marketing and communications plan and associated strategies for increasing enrolment of undergraduate, post- baccalaureate and graduate programs Creates, implements and evaluates a content strategy and portfolio that includes websites, social media, online ad campaigns and other online assets. Manages projects and coordinates workflow of content providers, editors, designers and external services. Makes independent decisions and recommendations in areas of prioritizing, planning, and organization of OSE communications and provides strategic recommendations to OSE leadership regarding opportunities to further our reach to prospective audiences. Creates, revises and maintains a variety of messaging such as articles, reports, videos, photos, brochures and/or manuals. Coordinates, maintains and develops marketing and promotional materials. Develops promotional strategies, projects and public events including researching other Universities for best practices Evaluates the effectiveness and impact of marketing and communications plans and recommends improvements Recognition & Planning: Ensures collaborative recognition and publicity of the OSE by communicating and marketing upcoming events, awards and opportunities for students, faculty and the general public. Researches and interviews faculty, staff and students, to prepare material to promote their research accomplishments Media Relations: Actively creates and seeks out media opportunities to raise the School’s profile. Prepares press releases and publicity materials. Presents stories to media in collaboration with University Relations. Coordinates the announcement and promotion of major honours and distinctions in conjunction with external award agencies. Reviews, proofs, and fact-checks copy, and providing layout-ready copy according to style guide specifications. Social Media: Coordinates, maintains and generates information for the OSE’s social media channels including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Responds to questions and comments posted on social media channels Is the "voice" of the OSE; engages with internal and external education community to raise awareness of the OSE. Monitors social media channels and identifies risks and issues that may arise Researches and recommends new social media channels and approaches. Monitors statistics of social media accounts. Stays current with latest trends and best practices in social media. Content Generation: Researches, writes, edits and produces content for communication media including web communications, digital signage, print materials, reports and social media. Responsible for the creation of graphic design and illustration in support of online, print and digital projects to reinforce the brand of the OSE and its projects. Conceives, develops and determines the online visual identity for OSE. Designs print promotional materials including brochures, posters, guidebooks, and signage. Takes photographs of events, portraits, and activities for the various communications vehicles connected to OSE, includes Photoshop retouching. Conceives, develops and distributes videos and animations marketed at promoting the OSE to internal and external audiences. Manages the archiving of all departmental media including the scheduled backups of photos, videos, MP3s, and websites. Manages other small to mid-sized marketing projects and initiatives as opportunities arise: Develops project timelines and schedules, develops cost projections and advises the Dean, Associate Dean and Director in a timely manner on progress of all current projects. Manages project budgets and ensures determined timelines are met. Serves on an inter-campus advisory board or cross-unit committees when required. Undertakes other communication projects in keeping with the mandate of the position. Web Management: Ensures that the OSE website and digital signage content is accurate, clear, timely and consistent both in messaging and presentation. Develop/change processes as required. Maintains quality assurance and make a coordinated approach to communications content, ensuring integration across print and web/social media and digital signage. Specifically, writes and manages web content including graphics, photos, video and digital signage. Serves as the main contact person with content providers and external marketing consultants. Prepares, reviews and edits documentation and messaging in preparation for public posting on the website; responsible for establishing consistency with usage of the UBC logo and other online initiatives that use the UBC brand. Maintains web content style guides, standards and templates in compliance with UBC standards and best practices. Researches web/social media technologies and makes recommendations. Based on findings, communicates risks/issues for project requirements. Implements and monitors web analytics to measure progress and usage. Liaises with University Relations on web technologies to further OSE’s communication strategies Performs other related duties as directed. CONSEQUENCE OF ERROR Must be able to work independently and exercise extensive judgement and decision-making. This position must exercise tact and diplomacy when dealing with students, staff, faculty, alumni, community partners, media and the public. They must make decisions on how best to manage projects given short timeframes, relative strategic importance of projects, ease of substituting one project for another given staffing available, and the impact of failing to meet deadlines. The quality, ethics, integrity, and accuracy of communication materials produced by this position are critical to the School of Education, given the wide distribution of these materials throughout the University and across the country, inappropriate or inaccurate statements may seriously affect the image and reputation of individuals or the School of Education and the University as a whole. Incomplete or inaccurate information; ineffectual or poor messaging in communication content could result in lower enrollment, lower quality of faculty recruitment, poor fundraising or negative perception of the University s academic record. SUPERVISION RECEIVED Works autonomously within board mandates to meet goals, and according to direction received from the Director, with administrative supervision from the Manager, Administration & Operations. SUPERVISION GIVEN May supervise Work/Study students. This individual may oversee the work of internal and external service providers, and on occasion may delegate event, web and social media updating/editing tasks to OSE support staff. QUALIFICATIONS - Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own - Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion Minimum Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of five years experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience. Preferred University degree in marketing, communications, or public relations is preferred. Experience effectively coordinating marketing communications and or media projects, including experience with both print and web, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience in a post-secondary education setting would be an asset in this regard. Experience in web-based content management systems (WordPress, Drupal), web design, SEO, usability best practices, and analytics. Expertise in Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. Experience in filming and editing video using Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro. Excellent working knowledge of HTML and CSS required. Ability to select the most effective communications media for a situation. Ability to listen actively and attentively, and obtain clarification as required. Demonstrated writing skills including proven ability to write for the web, social media, brochures, and other communications channels; and to adjust writing style for different audiences. Ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and priorities. Ability to respond appropriately to inquiries in person, on phone, and in writing, and make appropriate referrals. Ability to prioritize and work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines. Ability to work effectively independently. Ability to gain cooperation in the absence of formal authority. Ability to deal with people, in a courteous, calm manner. Proven ability to work successfully with a wide range of groups and individuals, including colleagues, students, community groups, researchers, and the public sector. Ability to effectively use Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Word, Excel). Ability to work effectively within a team environment and to collaborate effectively with others to complete projects. Must be able to work tactfully with all levels of university personnel - senior administrators, faculty, staff peers and students. Demonstrated verbal, writing and editing skills; experience with online communications, including current social media tools and strategies would be a definite asset. Knowledge of the Okanagan campus and Kelowna region would be a decided asset. Demonstrated experience with computer applications relevant to marketing functions is required (e.g. - Adobe Creative Suite and the full MS Office suite). Preference will be given to candidates with graphic design and or photography and videography experience.